1911-S $20 Saint Gaudens PCGS MS64

In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt told his Secretary of the Treasury that he deemed the United States' current coins "artistically of atrocious hideousness" and suggested that the country could "employ a man like Saint-Gaudens to give us a coinage which would have some beauty."

Acting on Roosevelt's call, the sculptor August Saint-Gaudens himself produced, for the United States Mint, obverse and reverse designs for what would become known as the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle. This coin of 90% gold and 10% copper was, in face value, $20.

Twenty dollars was worth significantly more during this coin's production tenure than it is today. Therefore, it is fitting that the coin not only was produced in relatively limited numbers but also displayed designs helping to make it, by many people's reckoning, one of the most beautiful U.S. coins. The front shows Liberty striding confidently forward while holding, in one hand, a torch - said to symbolize enlightenment - and, in the other hand, an olive branch representing peace. The sun's rays and the U.S. Capitol building are also discernible in the background.

The particular type of Saint-Gaudens coin that, availability allowing, you can order through this page also shows 46 stars circling Liberty. This is because, when the coin was designed, there were 46 U.S. member states. However, 1911 was the last year of issue when 46 stars were on show. This was due to a redesign that bumped up the number of stars to 48, taking account of the recent entries of Arizona and New Mexico into the Union. This slightly modified design was in place from 1912 onwards; thus, 46-star versions of the coin, which circulated until 1933, can be harder to find.

Once a piece ordered via this listing has come into your possession, look carefully near the date. Just above "1911" should be a small letter "S." This is called the mint mark and shows that the coin was struck at the San Francisco Mint. Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle coins made in Denver show a "D" mark instead, while the mint mark is left out on Philadelphia-produced pieces. Flip the coin and you can admire its reverse design of an eagle flying to a backdrop of sunrays. You should also see, at the bottom, the motto "In God We Trust." For many Americans at the time, the inclusion of this motto would have been vital, as slightly earlier controversy had shown.

When the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle was first designed, Saint-Gaudens omitted this motto on the instruction of Roosevelt, who felt that its presence would debase God's name if the coins were spent in furthering criminality. However, a public outcry over the omission resulted in the motto returning for the iterations of the coin dated 1908 or later.

The specific Saint-Gaudens coin that you could succeed in acquiring through this webpage is in a condition deemed Mint State 64 quality by the Professional Coin Grading Service. This gives the coin a ranking of 64 out of 70 on the Sheldon Coin Grading Scale.

Features of the 1911-S $20 Saint Gaudens PCGS MS64
Contains 0.96750 Troy ounces of gold
Gold purity reaching 22 karat
Measures 34.1mm in diameter